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Bizzell Supports Development of Comprehensive Report Addressing Smoking Cessation Treatment within Cancer Care Settings

Bizzell Supports Development of Comprehensive Report Addressing Smoking Cessation Treatment within Cancer Care Settings

 

July 27, 2022 (New Carrollton, MD) — The Bizzell Group is proud to provide direct support to the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, in the development of Tobacco Control Monograph 23—Treating Smoking in Cancer Patients: An Essential Component of Cancer Care. Released on June 29th, the monograph expands upon prior research from the 2014 and 2020 Surgeon General’s reports to inform clinicians and their patients with cancer about the science and practice of quitting smoking. The monograph also builds on recent findings from the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Moonshot℠ Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I) program. “The monograph provides evidence that clinicians, public health practitioners, researchers, and patients with cancer can use to help influence real-world change in the treatment of patients with cancer who smoke. I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with NCI and subject matter experts to produce a rigorous volume on such an important topic,” said Jenny Twesten, Managing Director of Health Communications & Research at Bizzell, who oversaw the editorial and publication support for the monograph.

Smoking cessation treatment is rarely addressed in cancer care settings, yet the research summarized in the monograph demonstrates that quitting smoking is among the most effective treatment options for improving the likelihood of survival, quality of life, and overall health of people with cancer who smoke. The monograph also provides clinicians with evidence-based strategies and treatment options they can implement to better address smoking with cancer patients.
“Monograph 23 leverages prior academic research to demonstrate that addressing smoking cessation within the cancer treatment protocol yields tremendous benefits. I am greatly appreciative of the rigorous development process led by the Federal staff, Scientific Editorial Committee, peer-review experts, and the Bizzell team” said Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., President and CEO of Bizzell.

To read the full monograph, please visit: https://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/brp/tcrb/monographs/monograph-23

About Bizzell

Established in 2010, Bizzell US is U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) HUBZone certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm with a mission to improve lives and accelerate change. Bizzell US develops innovative solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time such as health care services equity, global health, workforce innovation and other urgent needs facing the world. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Anton C. Bizzell, MD, the company has grown into a thriving firm headquartered in New Carrollton, Maryland with staff and offices in various regions around the country including California, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Georgia, and globally in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Learn more about how we develop data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions to complex-real-world challenges. Learn more at BizzellUS.com.

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Learning to Walk: Telehealth’s Development Signals Improved Behavioral Health Care Access

Learning to Walk: Telehealth’s Development Signals Improved Behavioral Health Care Access

June 15th, 2022 (Lanham, MD) More adults and youth are struggling with their mental health and well-being as the pandemic continues. Nearly four in ten American adults experienced anxiety or depression symptoms during the pandemic, compared to one in ten pre-pandemic (Panchal et al. 2021). Similarly, depression and anxiety among youth have nearly doubled since the pandemic and are particularly impacting youth from historically underserved populations (Office of the Surgeon General, 2021; Racine et al, 2021). Yet, access to mental health services and treatment has not kept pace with the increased need and demand for services. In 2021, nearly 25 percent of adults did not receive treatment for mental illnesses (Mental Health America, 2021).

Telehealth is a growing sector of service delivery that is poised to address some of the gaps and barriers to mental health care. The June 2022 Behavioral Health Spotlight, published by the Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center (BHARC), discusses tele-behavioral health’s significant expansion during the pandemic, its benefits, and important considerations for its utilization moving forward. “It is still early, but tele-behavioral health shows great promise in reducing stigma that some associate with mental health and substance disorder treatment and providing accessible mental health care capacity in hard to serve areas of the U.S.,” said William Scarbrough, BHARC Advisor and Vice President, Health Solutions at The Bizzell Group (Bizzell). “Additional rigorous evaluation is needed to address concerns regarding quality of care, privacy, and third-party data and information sharing.” BHARC is funded by Bizzell.

The BHARC Behavioral Health Spotlight is a thought leadership series highlighting various behavioral health topics that impact communities across the United States and abroad. “Telehealth’s Potential for Expanding Behavioral Healthcare Access” was written by Nancy Bateman, MSW, a Senior Public Health Advisor for Behavioral Health Services at Bizzell. It provides a current snapshot of tele-behavioral health, drawing from recent literature.

About BHARC 
The Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center (BHARC) is an authoritative source for behavioral health information, insights, technical assistance, training, and innovative tools. BHARC is a mechanism to share evidence-based behavioral health interventions and best practices. The BHARC Advisory Council consists of experts in substance use, mental health, clinical trials, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare standards and quality. Learn more about the Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center at BHARC.org.

About Bizzell 
Established in 2010, Bizzell US is U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) HUBZone certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm with a mission to improve lives and accelerate change. Bizzell US develops innovative solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time such as health care services equity, global health, workforce innovation and other urgent needs facing the world. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Anton C. Bizzell, MD, the company has grown into a thriving firm headquartered in New Carrollton, Maryland with staff and offices in various regions around the country including California, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Georgia, and globally in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Learn more about how we develop data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions to complex-real-world challenges. Learn more at BizzellUS.com.

Easing the Mental Toll of HIV and AIDS

Easing the Mental Toll of HIV and AIDS

Epidemics and pandemics. HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. National and global issues affecting people around the world and highlighting health inequities that impact access to health and mental health care. During the physical and mental health stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions are also living with the ongoing effects of HIV/AIDS. “Since the global epidemic began, an estimated 79.3 million people have been infected with the HIV virus and 36.3 million people have died of HIV-related illnesses,” said Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., President/CEO of The Bizzell Group.

Individuals living with HIV/AIDS often experience discrimination, stigma, persecution, isolation, and exclusion, which can lead to depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and other negative mental health effects. There is proven benefit from mental health groups, HIV/AIDS support groups, talk therapy, physical exercise, and meditation.

Several effective vaccines were developed within the first year of the emergence of COVID-19, yet forty years after it was first identified there is still no vaccine for HIV/AIDS. Although there are still healthcare inequities, through the efforts from UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), several U.S. government agencies (including U.S. Department of State) millions have received people-centered physical and mental health HIV services in over 55 countries. HIV/AIDS remains a public health and mental health crisis. While there is significant research, education, training, and technical assistance taking place, there is much more to do in the U.S. and around the world. Everyone needs to contribute to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Read more: Easing the Mental Toll of HIV-AIDS

Bizzell Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary and Gives Back to Orphanage in Africa

Bizzell Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary and Gives Back to Orphanage in Africa

December 14, 2021 (New Carrollton, MD) – The Bizzell Group (Bizzell), an award-winning strategy, technology, and consulting firm, was featured in local media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for its global health and humanitarian focus and contributions to the Leve Moi Orphanage, an organization founded to serve children orphaned by natural disasters like the May 2021 Mount Nyiragongo volcano eruption, on-going political conflict and tension, and health epidemics including HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19.

Bizzell donated 30 bunk beds, 60 mattresses, and dozens of mosquito nets to Leve Moi Orphanage. The donations, locally sourced from DRC businesses, will help the orphanage continue to serve the ongoing needs of the children in Goma, as they do not receive State funding and rely on the goodwill of donors like Bizzell to deliver essential services such as free education and meals. Leve Moi Orphanage serves nearly 500 children each day from the surrounding community and houses dozens of children overnight. During the trip to DRC, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, President/CEO, and members from Bizzell’s Global leadership team, Yomi Jones, Vice President of Finance & Global Operations, and Rose Amolo, Director of Global Programs, traveled over 2000 miles from Kinshasa to Goma to visit the Leve Moi Orphanage. The children of Leve Moi welcomed, embraced, and thanked the Bizzell team through song and dance during the visit.

Learn more about this story as covered by local media in Goma: https://youtu.be/yNriMkva9CQ

                                               

Bizzell continued its 10 Year Anniversary celebration with its global staff in Kinshasa, honoring Bizzell’s DRC staff for their dedication to the firm’s global mission and international success. Dr. Bizzell addressed attendees at the celebration, noting Bizzell’s continued growth and global commitment, including expanding an initial two-person team into a global operation with representation in six countries around the world. In addition to Bizzell team members, other guests in attendance included staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Special Assistant to the President of DRC, Dr. Benjamin Bola, and other implementing partners and private sector representatives from Equity Bank and Vodacom.

Bizzell’s 10 Year Anniversary in DRC, combined with its philanthropic efforts continue to highlight and emphasize the firm’s focus on global expansion, addressing issues that improve the overall quality of life for people in low, emerging, and middle-income countries. DRC is the largest office in the Bizzell Global portfolio, with 13 staff implementing and supporting various global health protection activities including laboratory strengthening, health workforce development, early detection, treatment, and disease surveillance for Ebola, COVID-19, other epidemics and vaccine preventable diseases including Measles, Polio, Meningitis, Cholera, Monkey Pox.

About Bizzell

Established in 2010, Bizzell is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) strategy, consulting, and technology firm with a passion to improve lives and accelerate change. Bizzell develops innovative solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time, including the opioid, Ebola, and COVID-19 epidemics. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, the company has grown into a thriving firm headquartered in New Carrollton, Maryland with staff and offices in various regions around the world including California, Colorado, Georgia, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.